UK — Urquhart Castle, Drumnadrochit, Inverness, Scotland
Exploring Urquhart Castle
August 2016
I arrived at Urquhart Castle mid-afternoon and grabbed a cup of tea and a scone before exploring the castle.
I’m glad I took the time to stop, as it was a good tea. Plus, there was an interesting film about the history of the castle playing in the visitor’s centre and an exhibition about the castle.
The earliest recorded visitor to Urquhart (this was before the castle was built) was St Columba around 600 BC. During his life, St Columba may have visited the area several times when he travelled from his monastery on Iona, up the Great Glen and Loch Ness, to the stronghold of King Bridei near Inverness.
On one of his visits, St Columba encountered the Loch Ness Monster.
The story goes that as St Columba approached the River Ness, he encountered a burial party laying to rest a man killed by the Loch Ness Monster. St Columba ordered one of his group, Lugne, to swim across the river and bring back a boat. When Lugne was halfway across the river, the monster attacked him, and St Columba ordered the monster to “Do not touch the man; turn back speedily”. Much to the relief of Lugne, the monster broke off the attack and swam away.
